Can Our Athletes Be An Effective Force For Change & Justice??

Maybe Donald Sterling Can Lead Players to Unite on Social Change (excerpt from article by Curtis Bunn in the Atlanta Black Star)
April 28, 2014 | Posted by Curtis Bunn

It’s quite easy for folks at home to muse that the players should boycott. A bigger statement can be made forevermore when the NBA players and other professional athletes bound together, form a union, council or organization that addresses racial profiling, bullying at school, voter fraud and other issues that merit a collective voice.

For too long the modern-day, high-profile athlete has been silent and gutless, taking the weak position of “I’m just an athlete” when social injustices arise. That should change now. The Clippers “protest” of Sterling Sunday—wearing black socks and wristbands and dumping their warmup jerseys at midcourt, revealing shirts worn inside-out to cover up “Clippers”—was a start, a show that they understand they needed to make a statement. Other teams in the playoffs wore black socks in unity with the Clippers, an even nicer start: Men coming together for more than sport, for the bigger issue.

Can they keep it up? Can they see that they can make a difference, advance causes, influence views, effect change? It’s easy to fire at Sterling; he’s a rancid, welcoming target. You know he’s an easy target when the do-nothing, say-nothing Michael Jordan (after embarrassingly initially issuing a “no comment”) chimes in.

So, if there is any justice, this buffoon from way back will be the impetus of pro athletes snapping out of their decades-long nod and becoming a voice of the disenfranchised. We can only hope.